Bear mauls farmer couple in Tumakuru

A farmer couple lost their eyes after they were attacked by a wild bear on Sunday at at Sorenahalli, a village near Koratagere Taluk in Tumakuru.

The couple has been identified as Kareem Saab and Bakhtar-Bee. Another woman, Renukamma, too suffered injuries in the attack.
A wild bear entered agricultural land around 9 am while the farmers were busy in the fields. The bear lunged at Kareem and injured his shoulders and head. The bear is said to have smashed Kareem’s face hard, which lead to loss of sight in an eye.

Kareem’s wife Bhaktar was also attacked. She too suffered a head injury and also lost sight in her left eye after the bear attack. Renukamma was also attacked and was badly injured. The three injured were taken to a nearby government hospital. Later they were shifted to Tumkur district hospital.

Villagers were seen thronging the hospital to visit the injured. Most were angry with the officials of the forest department for not trying to capture the wild bear. Locals complained that farmers have been facing wild bear threat since months, and that the animals also destroy their crops. They said they have brought the issue to the forest department’s notice, but no action has been taken.

Forest official of Madhugiri, Nagaraju, visited the farmers at the Tumkur district hospital and a team of forest officials are conducting an operation to capture the wild bear. Bhaktar has since been shifted to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru. Tumkur Deputy Conservator of Forest Ramalinge Gowda visited Bhaktar and assured her that medical expenses of all farmers will be paid for by the state government.